Notebooks Guide

First Looks: ASUS ROG G53SW - Stealth Fighter

Fresh From Computex

Earlier this month at Computex Taipei, ASUS introduced to us its updated range of gaming notebooks under the Republic of Gamers (ROG) label. Part of this lineup is the G53 series, headlined by the G53SX Naked-Eye 3D notebook which is capable of allowing you to view visual content in full 3D glory without the need for a pair of 3D eyeglasses.

While we are waiting for the G53SX, the folks at ASUS recently sent us its relative, the G53SW, which is a 3D-capable model as well but it still requires 3D eyeglasses. Unfortunately, we did not receive the needed peripherals, hence, in this article we are going to look at the G53SW as a regular gaming notebook. We’ll keep you posted once the glasses arrived at our spot.

Inspection At The Hangar

With the new G53 series, ASUS still maintains its naming convention wherein the suffix “W” implies that the model comes with NVIDIA GeForce graphics. In the case of the G53SW, this notebook espouses a GeForce GTX 460M, the same GPU that is present on the older G73JW notebook. While the latter model runs on a Clarksfield chip, the G53SW is powered by Intel’s second generation Core processor, specifically an i7-2630QM with our unit.

Other than the differences mentioned, the G53SW is similar to the G73JW in many respects. A behemoth of a gaming notebook, the G53SW boasts of its sheer size with its ample 15.6-inch HD display and mass of 3.78kg. Deriving inspiration from the iconic F-117 stealth fighter, the notebook presents a geometric, military grey chassis with two air vents at the rear from which heat is actively expelled.

Looking at the cross-section of the G53SW reveals that it has a conspicuous reclining design, which according to ASUS, is intended to allow gamers achieve a more natural, stress-free posture while immersed in gaming for long hours. Additionally, the G53SW is equipped with an illuminated full size keyboard (with numeric keypad) and ample palm rest.

The Fighter Takes Off

As usual, the synthetic tests that we used include Futuremark’s PCMark Vantage and 3DMark Vantage. Looking at the scores below, we can see that the G53SW consistently got the highest scores in all categories and we attribute its superiority to its use of an Intel Core i7-2630QM chip. We put side by side G53SW's scores with those of MSI GT660's and ASUS G73JH's which we wrote about in January.

PCMark Vantage: ASUS G53SW, ASUS G73JH and MSI GT660

Notebook

ASUS ROG G53SW

ASUS ROG G73JH

MSI GT660

PCMarks

7857

6089

6592

Memory

5258

4690

4473

TV/Movies

5824

4200

4706

Gaming

9097

6605

6222

Productivity

7850

4281

5607

Moving ahead to 3DMark Vantage, we can see here the overwhelming number that the G53SW got in CPU score, which only proves the superiority of the Sandy Bridge processor. Nevertheless, it is conspicuous that the G73JH fared well with higher scores in overall 3DMarks and Graphics, thanks to its superior Radeon HD 5870 graphics.

3DMark Vantage: ASUS ROG G53SW and ASUS ROG G73JH

Notebook

ASUS ROG G53SW

ASUS ROG G73JH

3DMarks

7277

8131

Graphics

5747

7407

CPU

36154

11502

In terms of battery performance, the G53SW remained on the top of its game as it lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, longer than the G73JW’s record (2 hours and 20 minutes). Aside from its use of Sandy Bridge processor, which Intel has been promoting more energy-efficient than the previous generation, the G53SW garnered longer battery life because of its smaller display. Do take note that both rigs come with a bulky power adapter and an 8-cell 5200mAh battery module.

In our upcoming update for this article, we are going to engage the G53SW in real world applications, primarily, 3D video playback and 3D gaming, so stay tuned.